09-Feb-2016, 10:17
I keep seeing requests and concerns that the Phantom's are not being compared to the Kii Three, when the Kii is a MUCH more expensive speaker. A review will typically focus on set-ups or equivalent "boxes" that are in the same price bracket or near to it. It is hard to decide quite what to compare the Phantom's too considering that they include integral amplifiers and DACs and have all the in-built network connectivity. So do you compare it with speakers and amplifier set-ups that are the same price, or a bit higher. I would have set the bar a bit higher, considering that multiple boxes always cost more, and Devialet's claim to be a bit of a giant killer. However, the Kii Three is a stretch too far in my opinion, and if the Kii wasn't quite a bit better, then Kii have made a major mistake in product pricing themselves. Fortunately the Kii does seem to be justifying its price tag. A review of the Kii Three against the Phantom would be more for Kii owners to justify their "twice the price" purchase over a Phantom, rather than being a useful comparison. Afterall, if we all had 50 million dollars in the bank, we would probably spend our money elsewhere entirely.
